A Swing Is Born

Today is Thanksgiving. Though it’s not a golf day, I am thankful for golf in my life right now. It unlocks a floodgate of desire in me, which really, at the age of 55, is a gift. I have to look at it that way. It is a monumental challenge and as much as I get frustrated, I also get excited.

I am more hopeful now than I was in my last post. I had my third lesson with Pete Black and what has emerged from my three lessons is that I have a clear picture, crystal clear concept of what it is I need to do to rebuild my swing. I didn’t quite have that before the third lesson. There was confusion mixed in.

I also know that this is a marathon not a sprint. Pete Black keeps reminding me that a repeatable, fundamentally sound golf swing is earned. There is no short cut. The “secret” is repeating the proper movements over and over and over again.

There are three things I need to especially focus on:

Grip – although my left hand has been gripping the club very well, I was getting careless with my right hand and letting it slip too far under the club. The back of the left hand and the palm of the right hand point to target at address, period.

I still sway. Grrr. I have worked SO HARD to not do it and I thought I wasn’t doing it but Pete Black told me I’m still doing it. Bad shot? I swayed. The inside of my right leg and foot must be a brace and I must keep all my weight between my two feet throughout the swing. Balance balance balance!

I am still coming over the top. Another grrrr. I know that when I swing correctly, I get a sensation of a sidearm throw when I come through the ball. It is a strong, visceral hit that let’s me know I’m doing it right. More of that please, golf gods! I still collapse the triangle a lot, or separate it from my core. Pete Black made me repeat club face, shaft, hands, core like, 10 times in a row forwards and backwards. These four words are as one. My swing arc is getting shortened quite a bit because I collapse this connection. Or I divorce the hands from the core. Both happen. Both cause problems.

So, bottom line, if I can hold a proper grip with both hands, connect club face, shaft, hands and core throughout, and stay between my feet, I will have an amazing swing!

At the end of my lesson, I hit my last shot well and Pete Black said, “There it is. There’s your swing.”

Favorite Golf Quotes

"Ask yourself how many shots you would have saved if you always developed a strategy before you hit, always played within your capabilities, never lost your temper, and never got down on yourself."
Jack Nicklaus